Liquid-atomizing devices

ABSTRACT

A liquid-fuel-atomizing device comprises a tubular body open at both ends and having inclined blades mounted within one end to impart a swirling motion to air passing through the body. Fuel is supplied through nozzles which are directed towards the faces of the blades which are, in use, at the higher pressure.

Umted States Patent [151 3,643,870

Saunders Feb. 22, 1972 I54] LIQUID-ATOMIZING DEVICES l l Relcrences Clled I724! Inventor: Ronald I). ll. Snumleru, (,lllheme. ln- FOREIGN PA'IEN'IS OR APPLNATIONS 594,367 3/1960 7 Canada .139/403 73 Assignee: Joseph Lucas (lndustrles) Llmlted, Birmingham, England Prn nary Examiner- M. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-Thomas C. Culp, Jr. Flledi y 2, 1970 Attorney-Holman &Stem

2i Appl. No.2 36,649 [57] ABSTRACT A liquid-fuel-atomizing device comprises a tubular body open [52] n "239/403 at both endsand having inclined blades mounted within one [51] n 7/ 10 end to impart a swirling motion to air passing through the [58] Field of Search ..239/399, 403 body. Fuel is supplied through nozzles which are directed towards the faces of the blades which are, in use, at the higher pressure.

. lClainuZDrawingFlgures PATENTEDFEB 22 1912 INVENTOR M Jul/raw LIQUID-ATOMIZING DEVICES This invention relates to liquid-atomizing devices for use, in particular, in the burners of gas turbine engines.

A liquid-atomizing device in accordance with the invention comprises a tubular body through which, in use, air is caused to flow, an air swirler within the downstream end of said body comprising a plurality of blades inclined to the axis of the body, said body being formed with liquid passage means terminating in liquid nozzles at the downstream end of the body, said liquid nozzles being arranged to direct jets of fuel on the respective blades of the swirler.

An example of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a view of a liquid atomizing device in accordance with the invention shown partly in longitudinal section and FIG. 2 is a section on line 22 in FIG. 1.

The device comprises a tubular body formed by an outersleeve 1 l and an inner sleeve 12 defining between them an annular liquid supply passage 13 which communicates with an inlet bore 15 in a support 16 for the body. The body supports at one end an air swirler 17 mounted within said end of the body. This swirler comprises, as is known, a plurality of blades 18 which are inclined to the axis of the body 10 so that air flowing through the central passageway therein is given a swirling motion by the swirler 17.

The liquid passage 13 ends at the said end of the body in a plurality of liquid nozzles 19 formed by drillings through the wall of the inner sleeve 12. There are the same number of nozzles 19 as there are blades 18 and each nozzle is arranged to direct a jet of liquid onto an associated one of the blades 18.

As shown each nozzle 19 is inclined both axially and circumferentially the circumferential inclination being opposite to that of a section through the blades 18 which includes all of the nozzles 19, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus in use, the jet of liquid produced by each nozzle 19 will impinge upon an associated one of the blades 18 and will be carried away therefrom by the swirling and conically expanding air stream generated when there is air flow through the tubular body 10 from the end remote from the swirler 17.

This arrangement is intended to give good atomization over a very wide range of liquid pressures and air flow rates such as is required, in a gas turbine engine to deal with starting of the engine as well as full speed running thereof.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A liquid-fuel-atomizing device for positioning in an airstream comprising a tubular body which is open at both ends and through which, in use, air is caused to flow, and an air swirler within the downstream end of said body comprising a plurality of blades inclined to the axis of the body and also each inclined to a radius of the body passing through the blade, said body comprising an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve defining between them liquid passage means terminating in nozzles at the downstream end of the body, said nozzles being formed by holes drilled in the wall of the inner sleeve adjacent respective ones of the blades and inclined to the respective radii in an opposite direction to the blades to direct jets of fuel on the respective blades of the swirler. 

1. A liquid-fuel-atomizing device for positioning in an airstream comprising a tubular body which is open at both ends and through which, in use, air is caused to flow, and an air swirler within the downstream end of said body comprising a plurality of blades inclined to the axis of the body and also each inclined to a radius of the body passing through the blade, said body comprising an outer sleeve and an inner sleeve defining between them liquid passage means terminating in nozzles at the downstream end of the body, said nozzles being formed by holes drilled in the wall of the inner sleeve adjacent respective ones of the blades and inclined to the respective radii in an opposite direction to the blades to direct jets of fuel on the respective blades of the swirler. 